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ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Monday, October 9, 2017

Ann Arbor, Michigan

michigandaily.com

Starting to sink

The Michigan football team’s reliance on second-half comebacks was exposed Saturday night, as the Wolverines were upset by Michigan State at home.

» Page 1B FOOTBALL

‘M’ falls to Spartans The Wolverines’ five turnovers were too much to overcome in a 14-10 loss KEVIN SANTO

Managing Sports Editor

ROBERT BUECHLER/Daily

Pod Save America hosts Jon Lovett, Jon Favreau, and Tommy Vietor before their live podcast taping at the Michigan Theatre Friday.

Hundreds gather for live taping of political podcast Pod Save America

Former Obama Administration advisors talked health care, 2018 election with Stabenow LYDIA MURRAY Daily News Editor

The popular podcast “Pod Save America” stopped in Ann Arbor as part of their North American tour Friday night, where they put on two consecutive shows. The podcast featuring four of former President

Barack Obama’s staffers has grown in popularity in recent months, particularly among young liberals. In an interview with the Daily prior to the shows, the hosts discussed the importance of encouraging young people to get involved in politics and pushing for positive change. Jon Favreau, host and former

Obama speechwriter, said he hopes the podcast helps to inspire young people to participate in politics in any way. “I think we are just trying to get young people to be excited about politics, be hopeful about politics. Try to let them know that it’s worth getting involved,” Favreau said. “Obviously, Donald Trump is

president and things can be pretty bleak, but I think we’ve all been on campaigns and been in politics for a while, so some of the experiences we bring are letting people know that even though sometimes you lose and politics is frustrating and it seems like nothing is ever going to change, when people get involved, good See POD, Page 3A

On Saturday night, the Michigan football team had no business winning. The seventhranked Wolverines made their own bed. Then they had to lie in it too. Michigan’s performance wasn’t just sloppy. It was a heaping mess. The Wolverines threw three interceptions. They fumbled twice. And despite all the chances its defense gave it, No. 7 Michigan fell, 14-10, to Michigan State (2-0 Big Ten, 4-1 overall) in the only night game in the rivalry’s 110-year history. “We had plenty of opportunities to move the ball, score touchdowns,” said fifthyear senior quarterback John O’Korn. “How many turnovers did we have? Like five, six. You can’t expect to win when you turn the ball over that many times. And three of them were 100 percent my fault.” The first pick came with just under four minutes left in the third quarter. Michigan rushed for 31 yards on five carries, and looked to be building momentum. And yet, despite the success in the run game and the torrential downpour that had arrived in Ann Arbor, the

Wolverines (1-1, 4-1) elected to pass. On the next play, Spartan safety David Dowell picked off O’Korn. Michigan’s defense bailed him out with three straight stops. On the next offensive drive, junior running back Karan Higdon rushed for seven yards in the middle of the offensive series. Then, the Wolverines passed again. O’Korn was picked off again, and Michigan’s defense bailed him out again. And with the rain coming down harder than ever, Michigan conformed to Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity. The Wolverines threw again in the downpour, and they got the same results. O’Korn threw his third interception of the game, and the defensive unit made up for his mistake once again. “We were trying to run the ball. We were trying to piece drives together,” said Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. “We needed to score points and we needed to put some drives together. That’s what we were trying to do.” Added O’Korn: “It was different at different points. There was one point where it was a torrential downpour and it was tough to throw the See GAME, Page 4B

School of Information Bicentennial Game day Athletes event highlights future, innovations stand with sees less

CRIME

ejections this year

UMPD reported four arrests, two citations and 31 stadium ejections JENNIFER MEER Daily Staff Reporter

Amid an upset loss to Michigan State University on Saturday, game day saw a total attendance of 112,432 at the Big House and several security violations. According to crime statistics sent to the Daily by Diane Brown, spokeswoman for the University’s Division of Public Safety and Security, there were four arrests — two for disorderly conduct, one for assault and one minor in possession charge. Brown said in 2016, kickoff times play a big role in the number of incidents there are at games. She said games that start at 3:30 p.m. tend to have more enforcement action than games that begin at noon. In the case of last weekend’s matchup against Michigan State, kickoff was not until 7:30 p.m. — thereby allowing more time for students to drink and tailgate.

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

F I N A L LY FA L L

MAX KUANG/Daily

LSA senior Mike Podesta paints a pumpkin at the Harvest Festival at the Campus Farm Saturday.

SYMPOSIUM From Page 1A from Rat Chat. “Information tools and services can create new ways of collaborating with city governments and collaboration between citizens and cities or governments is really what citizenship is about,” Lampe said. “It’s about productive relationships and collaboration. We think information plays a huge role for that in the new digital future.” On the academic side, assistant Information professor Steve Oney discussed why studying computer programming is a worthwhile endeavor past what the current occupational field looks like. He touched on how programming helps the modern world manage its online potential but a lack of accessibility is hurting the field’s future. He said tapping into the humanity of programming will make the field more accessible for those willing to learn. “Programming tools need to not only scale up to handle more complex tasks that programming tools are mostly designed for, but they also need to scale down to make simple things easy to do,” Oney said. “In other words, we need to make programming more human.” In a similar vein of social equality, Information professor Nicole Ellison presented her research on the cognitive impacts of social media on our concept of social capital. She related her research to how first-generation college students can use the massive web of social media to connect with college alumni. Ellison developed the app College Connect, with funding from the Gates Foundation, to show firstgeneration students the resources they might not be aware of on their Facebook profiles. Ellison said social media’s ability to do good should outweigh our criticism of the new

Monday, October 9, 2017 — 3A

technology. “We shouldn’t really spend a whole lot of time worrying about why people are posting pictures of avocado toast on Instagram and rather really think about how we can use social media to benefit us and to make things happen and one of those things might be getting more first-generation students to place in colleges,” Ellison said. The keynote panelists consisted of all University of Michigan alumni — Peter Lee, vice president of corporate research at Microsoft, Bradley Horowitz, vice president of product at Google, and Jamie Voris, chief technology officer at Walt Disney Studios. To begin the panel discussion, moderator Thomas A. Finholt, dean of the University’s School of Information, asked the speakers for their predictions of technology in the next decade and century. Horowitz’s future prediction discussed technology escape velocity — technology changing faster than society can absorb it. He also spoke on the relevant topics discussed in science fiction and how these are real possibilities for the future of technology. “We get to see the collective societal thinking about where technology is going through science fiction,” Horowitz said. “ ‘Black Mirror’ is looking at very near future scenarios — what happens when we can record every moment of our lives? How does that change things?” Horowitz also related this notion to the student experience. The University’s future developments will greatly influence education, research and preparing future leaders. When hiring young employees in the technology industry, Horowitz considers a degree from the University of Michigan to speak to a candidate’s ability to get a job done. Finholt asked panelists what they think are the essential skills

students need today to achieve a tenured timeline. Lee spoke about the issues surrounding losing touch with the purely curiosity-driven and open fundamentals of research that are in liberal forms of education. He further applied this idea to how bringing particular skills to the table can prepare students. “It’s important to have an innate curiosity, openmindedness and an ability to work on a team of people,” Lee said. “I think that foundation is of a higher value to the future.” Voris spoke about the special elements that the University of Michigan possesses in providing students with a well-rounded technological education. According to Voris, even in a career where you are the main player, having the tangibility of the University experience as a foundation allows students to continuously learn. “I think from a research perspective, I think that partnership between the university and industry is incredibly important,” Voris said. “I think fundamentally the university experience, more than any specific piece of knowledge, is about learning how to learn.” LSA freshman Dustin Stabinski, a preferred admissions student to the School of Information, said he felt excited about how these technology professionals believe currently stereotypical ideas of the future, such as “Black Mirror”, can become real possibilities. After attending this event, he felt reaffirmed in pursuing information studies and building a future for himself in the technology industry. “I think this definitely reassured me of the information I want to go into because definitely being in a place where we’re socially not in the best place advancing towards the future, this gives us hope that as technology advances, there is definitely some positive out there.”

Opinion

4A — Monday, October 9, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

HANK MINOR | COLUMN

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

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Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

DAVID KAMPER | COLUMN

Neuroethics changes the game

irst, it’s just a bit of be addressed; otherwise, our light f lashing in front judicial system will be faced of your eyes and a with an extreme ethics crisis. nebulous blue-black amoeba A major aspect of the swimming in your vast and quickly vision. Then after developing field a bit of clouding, of neuroscience is your thinking that it is still highly begins to slow, with correlational. With no particular pain. that notion comes Your reactions? a fogg y line on They’re just a what brain patterns millisecond behind. and chemical Your throw? Just interactions slightly to the left. exactly yield DAVID Your hearing? KAMPER certain behaviors. Just a bit muff led. Nevertheless, even Sometimes you stumble out without total and complete of the area of play, wander justification for the actions, over to put your head in its presentation has certainly your hands. Though it isn’t already made its appearance particularly painful, you’re in courtrooms across the taken aback by how dull nation. Since 2005, the everything feels, as if a fog appearance of arguments descended over your face. based on neuroscience in As someone who has courtrooms has more than experienced quick, powerful doubled and is quickly rising. hits to the head in close More importantly, it shows a succession, these are the major f law in how we approach immediate symptoms that science in the courtroom. arise. These types of hits to the head have brought about a commonplace discussion on the rise of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy cases reported in players of football, rugby, hockey, soccer and a variety of other sports. CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by a history of repetitive brain trauma. When too many hits are made to the head in one’s lifetime, a protein is produced in greater quantity than normal, causing the brain to deteriorate. It can lead to depression, psychosis, dementia and even death. When Aaron Hernandez — the former New England Patriots football player who John Oliver’s latest piece on was convicted of murder in forensic science highlighted 2015 — was diagnosed with this f law, and it certainly has CTE after his suicide, much of alluded to the neuroethics the world saw another reason that should be highlighted to question football’s place in in cases about CTE. The our society. Was the style of legal practice has progressed play too violent? Were there (in my opinion, through enough “checks and balances” a realization of collective to ensure player safety? Only mistakes) developments in 27 years old when he died, our society’s conscience that Hernandez’s autopsy found can be highly inconsistent and he had already experienced rather subjective. By contrast, very progressive CTE. the field of neuroscience is With such brain trauma, far more absolute, looking I certainly began having for concrete statements and suspicions correlating his conclusions based on highly behavior to his diagnosis. developed and systematic From reports, his emotions approaches. I posit that fluctuated often, which we find the latter far more certainly could lead to crime appealing, which is why, even and suicide. Even more with the fogginess in the disturbing, previous players correlation between behavior found with CTE were known to and neurological makeup, have erratic off-field behavior. it is rather convincing to I was taken aback that much demonstrate that “science” of the CTE focus was directed is the reason why such at the sport. The demise of abhorrent actions occurred. football isn’t the question The problem with CTE we should be asking. CTE is arising in the case of Aaron opening the door to a realm Hernandez might not be of “neuroethics” that must entirely obvious, but where

CTE is opening the door to a realm of “neuroethics” that must be addressed.

exactly does one place blame? Is it the NFL? Is it his environment off the field? Or is assigning blame even what we should be considering? If someone does something abhorrent, certainly there must be some blame assigned. As a part of our societal makeup, too often I find the need to blame is written into our culture. Nevertheless, I counter that it might not be the best way to see “justice” in our legal system. As David Eagleman, a leading neuroscientist at Stanford, explains, “The choices we make are inseparably yoked to our neural circuitry, and therefore we have no meaningful way to tease the two apart. The more we learn, the more the seemingly simple concept of blameworthiness becomes complicated, and the more the foundations of our legal system are strained.” The rise in conversation surrounding CTE, and how the disease might have affected Aaron Hernandez’s behavior, will soon be confronted with questions of what and who to blame, and a collective debate must ensue. Along with “blameworthiness,” another issue is that CTE — as well as many other brain disorders — are found only after the perpetrator was deceased. Certainly advancements in neuroscience technolog y might fix this issue, but at the moment it leaves a possible hole in how the legal arguments are framed and designed. When the perpetrator commits the crime, what activity in their youth could contribute to issues in brain function, leading them to commit a crime? Did they have a disease that has not been diagnosed? With more f laws rising in the legal structure, the questions on CTE certainly make me question the future design of law. To address these issues, one must recognize that the law is currently designed as an adjustment to the present. The structure of our legal system is to take an issue that is presently occurring and push the discussion through the courts until the doctrine modifies to the norms. Let me suggest that the legal system begin questioning ways it can adjust its viewpoint from adapting to the present to developing for the future: to the questions of free will, what or who is to blame and what it means to be human. David Kamper can be reached at dgkamper@umich.edu.

SUBMIT TO SURVIVORS SPEAK The Opinion section has created a space in The Michigan Daily for first-person accounts of sexual assault and its corresponding personal, academic and legal implications. Submission information can be found at https://tinyurl.com/survivespeak.

A report card for Trump

early two weeks after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, destroying much of its critical infrastructure — most notably, 95 percent of the electrical grid — President Donald Trump visited the island. His statements there, which should have contained at the very least traces of empathy, were as ego-driven as usual. Almost immediately upon arrival, he complained the territory had “thrown our budget a little out of whack” and lauded island officials for the relatively low death toll — which, at 16 deaths, was much lower than Hurricane Katrina’s. Later, he praised Ricardo Rosselló, governor of Puerto Rico, saying, “He’s not even from my party, and he started right at the beginning, appreciating what we did … Right from the beginning, this governor did not play politics. He didn’t play it at all. He was saying it like it was, and he was giving us the highest grades. On behalf of our country, I wanna thank you.” I’m not sure what complete failure of conscience causes someone to see a natural disaster in terms of “grades” or — as he did with U.S. Rep. Jenniffer González-Colón, the territory’s Republican nonvoting representative — to request further praise, now that he and the media were there: “Jenniffer, do you think you can say a little bit (of ) what you said about us today?” Trump asked. “And it’s not about me. It’s about these incredible people, from the military to FEMA to first responders. I mean, I’ve never seen people working so hard in my life. Perhaps you could say, congresswoman?” I’m not sure why, at this point, I find myself freshly disgusted with each instance of cold-blooded narcissism. What else, from a former reality television star? The drive to seek attention is threaded into the deepest parts of his personality and,

for Trump, there has ceased to be a line too far. Everything — even a major natural disaster that affected more than three million U.S. citizens — is a chance to capture a few more seconds of media spotlight. For some time now, I’ve debated whether or not the media’s critique of Trump is useful in any concrete way — if it’s actually accomplishing something, or if it simply exists to validate the opinions of people who have long since come to hate him. This particular instance of ineptitude, though, leads me to believe that the media has been forced into a role it hasn’t held since the advent of 24-hour cable news: that of an educator.

Everything... is a chance to capture a few more seconds of media spotlight.

Much in the same way “The Learning Channel” stopped learning quite some time ago, our major cable news networks have drifted further and further from actual news. No one wants to pay for dry analysis and Wolf Blitzer reading sleepily from a teleprompter, but they’re more than willing when it’s coverage of scandal, the horserace or political squabbles. Even our president isn’t immune to this effect. He reportedly loves the television, with the Washington Post estimating that, on an average day, he consumes five hours’ worth. Furthermore, unlike former Presidents Clinton and Obama, he watches it for

current coverage of himself — not as an escape from it. Our media institutions are thus faced with the unfortunate task of educating the president through the only thing he has a sustained attention span for. If President Trump prefers to receive intelligence briefings condensed to one page with “killer graphics,” it may be useful to take those lessons to heart when tweaking news broadcasts for one vitally important viewer. Commentators, instead of scoring unnecessary extra points with viewers who already share their political alignment, might try coaxing Trump into learning something. Fox News and CNN seem to have a united interest in ensuring that the president is minimally educated for the job, even if they have to go about it in different ways. Cable news pundits rarely do original journalism, preferring to repackage the work of print journalists. They are thus enabled to participate in our national effort to soothe the president’s wildly unchecked ego by providing careful discussions that guide him toward more stable, researched positions. His advisers might not be able to make him read more than a page, but I certainly believe Sean Hannity, Wolf Blitzer and other journalists are capable of reading to him. Whether it bruises our national pride or not, we owe it to Puerto Rico and those who will face similar and greater struggles in the future to make sure the president knows how to act in his office. With any luck, he’ll eventually internalize the ideas that people are not responsible for natural disasters, aid distribution is not a proper method of winning support and that we expect him to pursue praise through competence, not performance. Hank Minor can be reached at hminor@umich.edu.

RYAN WOOCK | OP-ED

Hold the NCAA accountable

ecently, U.S. Attorney Joon Kim dropped a bombshell on the college basketball world. Four assistant coaches from Power Five programs — Auburn University’s Chuck Person, the University of Southern California’s Tony Bland, the University of Arizona’s Emanuel “Book” Richardson and Oklahoma State University’s Lamont Evans — were charged in various cases involving corruption and bribery. Six other individuals, including an Adidas executive, financial planners and agents were also implicated. Federal authorities allege the men negotiated deals designed to illegally funnel recruits to specific college programs, then to agreed-upon apparel companies and agent services once the athletes turned professional. While some have been quick to point fingers at individuals and programs as roots of the problem, it’s the ultimate failure of the NCAA that has enabled such alleged rampant corruption to take place. Not only has the NCAA created a system that empowers higherups to exploit college athletes, but its capability to efficiently regulate the system has proven borderline anemic. Throughout its history, the NCAA has remained steadfast in its commitment to “amateurism” and the concept of a “student-athlete,” often taking unpopular measures to preserve their reputation. For instance, in the past month alone it suspended a Central Florida backup placekicker and a freshman Texas A&M crosscountry runner for using their athlete “likeness” to profit off their respective images on personal YouTube channels. Such nitpicky, trivial rules have come under fire from players, coaches, fans and pundits alike. Even Jim

Harbaugh, University of Michigan football coach, got in on the action after unknowingly committing a minor infraction in 2015 — dismissing the violation by quoting Oscar Wilde in a tweet that stated, “Thought of the day: ‘No good deed goes unpunished.’” Concurrently, the landscape of collegiate athletics has been rife with scandals of massive proportion. Most recently, the University of Louisville’s basketball team employed strippers on recruiting visits (and subsequently forfeited the 2013 national title). And for decades, the Ed Martin booster situation has plagued the Fab Five’s legacy. There have been countless other cases which have highlighted the pervasive use of illicit recruiting tactics to garner commitments from high-profile players. Therefore, it was alarmingly ironic to hear William Sweeney Jr., the assistant director of the FBI’s New York office, refer to the Bureau’s Sept. 26 charges as contributing to “a ‘pay-forplay’ culture that has no place in college basketball.” Clearly, such a culture has already manifested itself deep within the sport’s identity. Unfortunately, this underbelly largely stems from the NCAA’s staunch unwillingness to allow athletes to tap into the billion-dollar college sports industry, thus generating incentives to facilitate backchannel transactions with third parties. Because recruits cannot profit off their name by signing autographs, receiving a portion of jersey sales or any other endeavor that leverages their athletic status for financial gain, the door is wide open for organizations to capitalize on a player’s long-term potential by compensating them now. By making a relatively small bet, whether it be through a bribing a coach or directing payments

to the recruit and his or her inner circle, companies can secure future gains with the promise of returning the favor in the form of lucrative apparel deals, sponsorships or mere association when the athlete eventually turns professional. Right or wrong, the unpaid collegiate system has produced this opportunity, and as long as it’s available, people will take advantage. What’s more is that even with a system whose flaws are widely recognized, the NCAA has limited abilities in how it can actually pursue wrongdoing. As a private institution, it has no subpoena power or formal legal authority, thus severely hindering the extent to which it can acquire necessary and useful information to aid investigations. This weakness was exposed by the FBI’s process of gathering facts to formulate its allegations. The FBI used a proathlete financial planner who was close to the scandal “to get an undercover agent into hotel rooms, meetings and deals.” As a result, it was able to record intimate conversations and confidently implicate numerous figures. Such an operation is squarely outside the legal jurisdiction of the NCAA, and epitomizes its inherent inability to take necessary measures to purge the system’s offenders. Therefore, though the ongoing FBI investigation may topple some notable coaches, programs and other entities, its implications may also have long-lasting effects. Perhaps when it’s all said and done, after realizing how much the system perpetuates a pay-toplay and then fails to regulate it, people will finally demand real change in the NCAA. Until then, we can at least enjoy watching it crash and burn before our very eyes. Ryan Woock is an LSA freshman.

Arts

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

FILM REVIEW

Monday, October 9, 2017— 5A

MUSIC REVIEW

COURTESY OF DERRICK AUSTINSON

The Wonder Years expand ‘Blade Runner 2049’ is a talents with new EP, show groundbreaking sequel WARNER BROS.

DOMINIC POLSINELLI Daily Arts Writer

his job gets more difficult. Describing the rest of the plot Daily Arts Writer is arduous, not only because it’s complex, but because every detail revealed is a mini“Blade Runner” was a sci- spoiler. Scott and the movie’s fi behemoth. Certainly, the producers cracked down on movie has some uncomfortable leaking any information before moments and questionable the release, which now makes demographic representations sense. The whole movie leads — all of the extras are Asian, you in one direction only to yet no primary character drag you back scenes later. is — but these And though you shortcomings might get lost aren’t enough to “Blade Runner in the second delegitimize the act, it all wraps 2049” masterpiece’s up neatly in the artistic triumphs. end. Warner Bros. Even after Ryan Pictures three decades Gosling’s Rave Cinemas, of filmmakers performance as trying to replicate K is much like Quality 16 its intricacies, Harrison Ford’s nothing has (“Star Wars: The matched the visual creativity Force Awakens”) in the original of Ridley Scott’s (“Alien: — he balances a macho bravado Covenant”) 1982 classic. with gaping vulnerabilities But this high praise doesn’t just like Ford’s Deckard. K automatically warrant a struggles the entire movie with sequel. The movie’s ending, coping with his identity and ambiguous enough to keep his past. He lives an isolated us nerds debating for literal life only to be accompanied by decades, doesn’t beg to be his AI girlfriend Joi (Ana de resolved in a follow-up. Armas, “War Dogs”). Without Replicating “Blade Runner” is ever wandering into overtly a task too daunting for anyone, highbrow territory, “Blade even Scott himself, to tackle Runner” trudges through the — except for Denis Villeneuve nuances of existential dread (“Arrival”). and isolation. Much bleaker No other director could than the original — which is better guarantee that a saying quite a bit — “Blade “Blade Runner” sequel won’t Runner 2049” is one of the horrifically disappoint. The darker dystopian tales in French-Canadian visionary recent memory, and certainly is on Hollywood’s hottest of the blockbuster sci-fi genre. winning streaks, following At the forefront of the critical and popular loneliness and isolation is adoration of “Sicario” and K’s pseudo-relationship with “Arrival,” two riveting and Joi. He returns from work, cinematographically stunning not to a real human, but to movies. With “Blade Runner an AI imaginary girlfriend 2049,” the streak not only stays programmed to make him feel alive, but intensifies. loved. In this regard, “Blade “Blade Runner 2049” is set Runner 2049” definitely 30 years from the original and steals a bit from “Her,” but follows a similar plot. Hunting calling this theft isn’t valid. replicants is once again the Joi isn’t quite as developed as main objective, but this with Samantha, the AI from “Her.” added complications. Agent However, the movie’s lazy “K” (Ryan Gosling, “La La one-dimension depiction of Joi Land”) is in charge of “retiring” is a social commentary in and — code for killing — replicants, of itself. This AI projection or fake humans created by the is manufactured to fit the Tyrell Corporation. But after stereotypical feminine roles finding suspicious objects, in a masculine-dominated WILL STEWART

society: She’s a homemaker, a manic pixie dream girl and a cheerleader all at once. In this regard, the sequel definitely has a greater social conscience that its predecessor. De Arma’s performance as Joi was likely the most difficult to execute, yet the most rewarding. Complemented by stunning CGI that glitches between accurate projections and stuttering malfunctions, her performance transcends Joi from being just another robot-type to a character we genuinely care about. Villeneuve’s direction and Roger Deakins’s (“Skyfall”) cinematography are a match made in heaven. Incorporating the visual elements of the original while staying entirely authentic, the duo delivers breathtaking shots of dystopian Los Angeles. “Blade Runner 2049,” in simpler terms, is one of the best shot movies of all time. It’s hypnotic, expansive, elaborate and gorgeous. Deakins, throughout his long and Oscarless career, has made Earth look like a different planet. He can take a typical landscape, and with his signature lighting and wide angle lenses, portray it as if it were some uncharted land. “Blade Runner 2049” is no exception. Los Angeles in 2049 will probably not be the sunshine-deprived, billboardladen metropolis as seen in the movie, but Scott and Deakins’s world is one of the most detailed ever. Die-hard fans will likely disagree, but “Blade Runner 2049” is unnecessarily longwinded. Clocking in at 163 minutes, it risks deterring viewers who either haven’t seen the original, or have and found it somewhat slow. Still, it’s about as good of a sequel as we could ever dream of, one that begs to be seen on the big screen. Recent reboots of successful franchises, like “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Force Awakens,” have been instant classics in and of themselves. Suffice to say, we can expect many more of these to come.

DO YOU LIKE ALL THINGS FASHION & LIFESTYLE? LIKE PRETENTIOUSLY RUMINATING OVER YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS AND AUTHORS? Daily Arts is looking to bring on new writers to their Style and Book Review beats! Email arts@michigandaily.com for an application.

The Wonder Years have had an impressive career arc since their inception in 2005. From their humble rise with the pop punk staple The Upsides to 2015’s epic, moving No Closer to Heaven the band has grown at an exponential rate, selling out most of their shows to perform for a deafening fan base. But just over two weeks ago, The Wonder Years decided to toss us a curveball in the form of an acoustic EP titled Burst & Decay, which consists of toned down versions of seven of their songs. In support of the EP, the band is currently finishing up a short run of full band acoustic shows, and I was fortunate enough to catch their hometown date in Philadelphia last Friday. Typically, The Wonder Years are known for high energy shows, largely thanks to the aggressive passion of their fans. At their acoustic shows, the band turned their typical formula on its head, replacing cathartic punk and alternative rock with intricate, tender compositions that beg more for quiet understanding rather than an explosive pit. For the second time, I made a quick trip out to Philly to experience the band in their hometown. The Wonder Years performed to a sold out crowd at the Theater of Living Arts

(or TLA for short), probably the largest venue on the entire tour. The atmosphere of their hometown shows is almost indescribable; the city clearly loves the band as much as the band loves the city that shaped them. Hearing their new acoustic rendition of “Coffee Eyes” in the city was achingly beautiful, whose chorus has frontman Dan Campbell yelling, “There’s always been a table for me here.” Singing along with the Philadelphians brought a sense of belonging unlike any other show of theirs. While the crowd’s singing still (and probably always will) rivaled frontman Dan Campbell’s in terms of volume, the crowd as a whole was able to experience a vastly greater intimacy with the band’s lyrics. Replacing riffs and chords with synth lines and acoustic harmonies shifted the focus onto the words that Campbell sang. As acoustic renditions, the songs feel less finite and gut punching. Campbell expertly navigates his lyrics on these new versions, using soft croons far more often than his signature booming vocals. In forcing the audience into this intimacy, every plucked guitar string and flowing synth note held a greater emotional weight. If anything, these new arrangements prove that The Wonder Years is a band of incredibly talented musicians. Their intimacy cast a spell across

the crowd, one characterized by a captivating stillness previously unseen at the band’s shows. While these shows are marked by this impressive change of pace, impressive doesn’t really do the band’s performance enough justice. The Wonder Years completely exceeded expectations, proving that they have come a long, long way as musicians whose roots are in pop punk. The Wonder Years took a leap of faith with this acoustic EP and tour, and Campbell acknowledged this at the show. The band is well aware of their usual expectations and just how much they subverted them in performing acoustic. Yet, this high risk came with high reward. By taking the time to rework old music with new musical composition, they’ve given their long time fans a reason to reflect and grow with the band. With these acoustic renditions and performances, the band has shown a capacity for growth and change that is essentially nonexistent in their contemporaries — time after time again, The Wonder Years have proven that they are so much more than just another pop punk band. In gearing up for the release of their sixth album in 2018, The Wonder Years could not have more perfectly gifted their fans than with a gorgeously arranged acoustic EP and small, intimate performances to showcase their reworkings.

RELEASE DATE– Monday, October 9, 2017

J O I N D A I L Y A R T S P L E A S E

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 “Death of a Salesman” salesman Willy 6 Abysmal grades 9 “__ Cross”: 1949 Lancaster movie 14 Friend’s opposite 15 Minor point to pick 16 Convened again 17 Unwise act that could be dangerous 19 Video game pioneer 20 Singing syllable 21 Vicinity 22 Type of cleansing acid 23 Actress Skye 25 Time-out for a cigarette 27 Upper crust groups 29 Courage and fortitude 30 Done in, as a dragon 31 Swoosh company 34 Cold War state: Abbr. 35 Dashboard music provider 39 Oral health org. 42 “Piece of cake!” 43 Real doozies 47 Dips for tortilla chips 50 Agree 51 Pre-talkies movie 55 “Please leave your message at the __” 56 Illegal lending tactic 57 Wrath, in a hymn 58 Round green veggie 59 Helped 60 Hot chili designation, and a literal description of the starts of 17-, 25-, 35- and 51Across 63 “The Accidental Tourist” actress Davis 64 Z, alphabet-wise 65 Start of a tennis point

66 Opinion piece 67 Part of GPS: Abbr. 68 Passover feast DOWN 1 Southpaws 2 Winning at craps, say 3 First lady after Michelle 4 Wee hrs. 5 PBS “Science Guy” Bill 6 Huge, in verse 7 “Hawaii __”: TV cop show 8 T-bone, for one 9 Buster who played Flash Gordon 10 Sharp comeback 11 Turkish travel shelters 12 Continuing stories 13 Place for a newcar price 18 Sunday service 24 Suffix with diet 26 911 situation: Abbr. 28 Disney doe 31 CIA cousin

32 “__ not up to me” 33 Vitally important 36 Relax 37 Overhead trains 38 Kick out of office 39 Appease 40 Yellow-disked flowers 41 Refers casually (to) 44 Spotted wildcat 45 Rattle

46 Soft-shell clam 48 Williams of tennis 49 Very soon 50 From the States: Abbr. 52 Small winds paired with drums 53 Literary twist 54 Heaps praise on 61 Beast of burden 62 Golfer Trevino

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

10/09/17

Arts

6A — Monday, October 9, 2017

FILM NOTEBOOK

Male friendship and the ‘Neighbors’ conundrum ASIF BECHER Daily Arts Writer

There’s a scene at the end of “Neighbors” that’s always bugged me. Zac Efron (“Baywatch”) and Dave Franco (“The Little Hours”) are best friends who have been fighting and growing apart over the course of the movie, but now Efron’s character is about to turn himself into the police to save his friends and they’re forced to make up. It starts out sweet, touching even. They tell each other they love each other (“I fucking love you man,” “I love YOU dawg”) and their eyes are welling over with tears. “I love you!” Efron says again. “That’s why I gotta go out there!” Franco starts bouncing up and down and screams “BE in this moment! Live in this shit with me!” They scream “I LOVE YOU!” and “I FUCKING LOVE YOU MAN” over and over again, both crying and hugging each other, to the point that Efron puts a stop to it. “Look, man, I love you and all,” he says, “but like, I’ve gotta go... so....” It’s a funny scene — Franco and Efron are both really good at embodying their frat bro personas while seeing the inherent humor in their macho posturing, and they’re talented comic actors. The music swells dramatically while the editing is lots of quick cuts between their two faces as they trade shouts of love at each other. Just bros being dudes, you know? It’s supposed to be funny, and it is. But my question is, why does this have to be funny at all? Make no mistake: The butt of the joke is the fact that these are

two big, handsome frat guys who are having a moment of genuine love, friendship and emotion. But I don’t know. I don’t know if there’s anything particularly hilarious about honest connection and friendship between two people who really care about each other. The only way to make that kind of thing funny at all is through the ironic, winking way the writers frame the scene. As if there’s something inherently unmanly, overemotional and embarrassing about the way they’re acting. I can’t help but wonder how much more powerful that scene could have been if instead of shouting their declarations of love in an increasingly ridiculous affectation, the characters had looked each other in the eyes and said, “I love you. You’re my best friend.” And that would be that. No need to cover the feelings in layers of disingenuous irony and this inflated, self-conscious posturing. I’ve seen this scene play out in so many movies and TV shows. There’s a whole episode in “New Girl” dedicated to Nick’s inability to accept Schmidt’s friendship and love, and it culminates in three men crying all over each other and confessing how much they care about each other. Only instead of playing the moment straight, the editing and framing (they all awkwardly walk away, clearly embarrassed) are telling us to laugh. Same thing in “Superbad,” and so many other contemporary comedies. It’s a little heartbreaking. The message being delivered to young male audiences here is undeniable: Your feelings are funny. Your friendships are laughable. Your moments of honest connection are not

masculine and need to be displaced and distanced from you with a good dose of selfawareness and quippiness. Of course, it’s not like these movies exist in a vacuum — they’re reflecting the way we as a culture see masculinity and male friendships in the real world. But can’t our media be more than a mirror? Can’t we be a little aspirational? Why not hope for a kinder, more gentle world, one in which men can just tell their friends they love each other without being seen as effeminate or overemotional? This isn’t a small thing, limited to a few late 2010s comedies. There are real and awful consequences to the reinforcement of this worldview. The undercurrent to all this is a belief that actions coded feminine (you know, little things like expressions of love, emotion and tenderness) are inherently embarrassing. It’s the belief that women are fundamentally inferior, and being seen as womanly is the very worst thing a man can be. Thinking this, holding it as true, growing up with it embedded deep in the core of who you are, it hurts people. It causes men to be angry and violent, and deeply, deeply sad. I think we can do better. I think we can use our media to create better models of behavior, ones that are a little less incisive and clever, and a little more human. I think modern comedies can be hilarious and sharp and full of heart. I think men can find ways to be a little more gentle with each other. I really believe that — no irony, no distance, no posturing. We can all be a little more gentle with each other. This is a place to start.

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

STYLE

COURTEST OF BALENCIAGA

Crocs and their unlikely comback in luxury retail TESS TOBIN

Daily Arts Writer

Distaste for Crocs once seemed like the absolute bottom threshold for sartorial taste. Now, the iconic midaughts children’s shoe has been adopted by the elitist world of high fashion. British designer Christopher Kane prominently featured his take on the rubber shoe in his SS18 collection, a decision that was met by general praise by critics, and absolute horror by me. If I could squelch one trend it would be high fashion Crocs. On the list of things the world needs, crystal encrusted Crocs round out the bottom. I would prefer to live in a world where the term “luxurious Crocs” remains exclusively oxymoronic. Prior to today, I thought just about everyone would want to stay in that relative-utopia, except for,

maybe, Mario Batali. Kane’s Crocs are neither innovative, nor clever, and frankly extremely ugly. Being fashionable does not necessitate looking good (nor should it), but this is ridiculous and also slightly bothersome. I find it generally distasteful when the fashion world appropriates, and marks-up, working-class items. Like the Moschino SS16 collection, which was inspired by “tradesmen” and featured this take on high-vis workwear as well as the use of a traffic cone as a purse, which was sold for $1,195. It’s unclear how much Kane will sell his new Croc designs for. But if they’re priced similarly to previous Croc collaborations (yes, that’s right, this collection is not the designer’s first dalliance with the the Croc brand), they’re likely to be quite expensive. Currently there is a pair of “slip-on Crocs clogs” being sold on the Christopher Kane

website for $545. For that price, you could buy 20 actual Crocs, 180 jibbitz, or something that isn’t trash. While Kane may have been the first major designer to collaborate with Crocs, he was not the last. Only two weeks after Kane sent his latest Croccollab down the runway, Demna Gvasalia of Balenciaga unveiled a pair of his own. It’s honestly hard to say which collaboration is worse, but I would give it to Balenciaga. The iconic French fashion house barely adapted the classic design at all, simply slapped on a platform. It’s pretty shocking that two different designers would collaborate with the same third-party brand for a given season, but the fact that this brand is Crocs is absolutely insane. It’s too early to tell if the other major designers will hop on the Croc bandwagon, or if the trend will fizzle and die once more. I, for one, am rooting for the latter.

The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com October 9, 2017

Y C N E G R E M E F O STATE

Michig

te 14 a t S n a g i ch an 10, Mi

The flaws in the Wolverines’ formula Until Saturday night, the at AT&T Stadium with a 17-13 formula — despite all of its deficit. But then they scored 20 inherent flaws — had worked points in the second half and well enough for Michigan. didn’t concede a single one, The seventh-ranked ultimately winning, 33-17. Wolverines would struggle And in its conference opener to find their against Purdue, groove — usually Michigan entered due to multiple halftime at Ross-Ade questionable Stadium trailing, 10-7. mistakes — but they Then the Wolverines would find a way to scored 21 points turn it around in the without conceding any second half en route and pulled off a 28-10 to double-digit final win. scorelines. Those scorelines It had already didn’t reflect the worked four times. full scope of either But sometimes even game. Still, Michigan BETELHEM ASHAME the smallest crack maintained a zero in Managing Sports Editor can cause a ship to its loss column. Their sink. struggles could be Against Michigan State, hidden behind the curtain of as heavy rain turned into victory. a torrential downpour, But Saturday night, the Michigan’s ship didn’t just sink. Wolverines lost their first game It capsized. of the season to the unranked The Wolverines had faced Spartans in the first night game halftime deficits before. In their of their 110-year rivalry. Now, season opener against Florida, there is nowhere to hide. they headed to the locker room The first half against

Michigan State was the worst one yet. At the start, though, it didn’t seem as though that would be the case. Michigan opened the game on its 25-yard line, and moved down the field with ease. With a balanced attack courtesy of junior running back Karan Higdon, sophomore running back Chris Evans and fifthyear senior quarterback John O’Korn, the Wolverines drove 64 yards to the Spartan 11-yard line, taking up almost half of the first quarter in the process. But when they needed to seal the deal, their red-zone woes came back to haunt them and they had to settle for a 30-yard field goal. Despite the offensive letdown, Michigan’s defense did what has become routine for the No. 1 unit in the country. The Wolverines didn’t allow Michigan State to gain a single yard, forcing a three-and-out after only a single minute of possession. Michigan’s offense had the ball back with another shot at

the end zone. After gaining 19 yards on the ground in three plays, the Wolverines looked ready to capitalize on their second opportunity. But at the very end of that final run, the Spartans poked the ball out of the arms of fifth-year senior running back Ty Isaac and recovered it. This time, it was Michigan’s drive that lasted for only a minute. Michigan State took over at the Wolverines’ 46-yard line and used just six plays to make it into the end zone first. After the Spartans scored another touchdown in the second quarter, Michigan had one more chance to answer back before the end of the first half. But O’Korn’s 36-yard pass to sophomore tight end Sean McKeon was wiped out by yet another forced fumble, and the Wolverines headed to the locker room at Michigan Stadium with a 14-3 deficit. Though the double-digit deficit was the largest margin Michigan had to come back

from this year, its prior success in the second half seemed to bode well. “I don’t think we really struggled, you know, we were 4-0,” said senior linebacker Mike McCray. “But it’s a game. You can’t be perfect every time. The outcome is we want to win. It doesn’t matter how we get it.” At the start, it seemed as though that would be the case again. After Michigan State fumbled a punt and had to start at its own two-yard line, the Wolverines’ defense forced a three-and-out and Michigan had the ball at the Spartans’ 33-yard line. The Wolverines took full advantage of the favorable field position, using just four plays to score their first touchdown of the game. But all it takes is one changed variable to render a formula obsolete. Right after that touchdown, the rain came pouring down. And with it came a string of bad decisions on the offensive side of the ball. Instead of

consistently running the ball to counteract the troublesome weather, Michigan elected to pass on three consecutive possessions. On each of those drives, O’Korn threw an interception. “It was tough for me to see,” O’Korn said. “I was just trying to buy time and just put it up.” Though the Wolverines had other opportunities, they never found their second-half magic. Michigan’s defense held up its end of the bargain, preventing the Spartans from putting any more points on the board. But amid strong winds and steady rain, the offense couldn’t find its footing. The Wolverines may have been able to bounce back from concerning starts before, but Michigan should have taken it as more of a warning sign. Flaws in a formula that happened to be good enough for four wins are still flaws. And on Saturday night, the Spartans made it clear: the Wolverines’ formula is not a winning one.

AMELIA CACCHIONE & EMMA RICHTER/Daily

Wasting away

Michigan’s defense turned in another gem Saturday night, holding Michigan State to one first down in the second half. The offense, however, wasted it.

» Page 4B

Rivalry blues Jim Harbaugh was outcoached Saturday night, and is now 1-4 against Michigan’s biggest rivals.

» SportsMonday Column Page 2B

SportsMonday

2B — October 9, 2017

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

The monkey on Jim Harbaugh’s back T

he answer provided little clarity. Jim Harbaugh was asked for his reaction to his current record against Michigan State and Ohio State, fresh off a rainsoaked grudge match that saw KEVIN his thenSANTO seventhranked Wolverines lose, 14-10. “I don’t know,” he said. “We’re bowing our necks, getting ready for the next game. That’s our reaction.” The fact is, though, that it’s a fair question to ask after Saturday night. After all, it’s one of the only ones left unanswered after he has brought Michigan back to national prominence. But for the first time since he arrived in Ann Arbor, fans were given reasonable cause to doubt what the outcome of Harbaugh’s grand vision for the program will be. Tim Drevno may be the offensive coordinator and Pep Hamilton may be the passing game coordinator, but this is Harbaugh’s offense. And that offense didn’t just sputter, as it has all season. Saturday night, it came to a screeching halt. It was the lowest scoring output of Harbaugh’s tenure. The Wolverines posted 4.1 yards per play. They averaged just 2.6 yards per carry. They ran 40 different formations in the first half, according to Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, to the tune of just three points. As for the second half, it was an unmitigated disaster. Michigan completed less than 50 percent of its passes,

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is now 1-4 against the Wolverines’ biggest rivals, Michigan State and Ohio State, in his third year at the helm of the program.

and after torrential rains hit Ann Arbor midway through the third quarter, it became baff ling why Michigan was throwing so much in the first place. As for the most offensive instance — the Wolverines dared to go five-wide from the shotgun on third-and-short early in the fourth quarter. In the Wolverines’ first drive after the storm started, they appeared to adopt the logical approach. Junior running back Karan Higdon got the ball four times, giving Michigan two first downs on 23 yards. Then the Wolverines called three straight pass plays. The third became fifth-year senior quarterback John O’Korn’s first interception.

On the next drive, Michigan ran the ball once for a yard. O’Korn was sacked, then completed a screen pass to sophomore tight end Sean McKeon for 12 yards. After an incomplete pass, Higdon rushed for seven yards. But on third-and-three, O’Korn was picked again. During the following offensive possession, the Wolverines clearly didn’t learn their lesson. After an incomplete pass and another one-yard rush, the Spartans nabbed their third interception in as many possessions. And if the play calls weren’t questionable already, who was on the field for them was. The Wolverines stuck to their running back rotation, despite the

fact that Higdon was clearly their most effective rusher. Sophomore Chris Evans averaged negative yardage on four second-half carries. Isaac did the same with two. Higdon, on the other hand, averaged 5.9 yards on eight carries. After the game, Harbaugh said himself that it was fair to criticize the play calling. He said that Michigan was trying to run the ball. The in-game product said otherwise. He said that the Wolverines were trying to piece drives together. They failed by a long shot. As for Michigan’s offensive unit, it said all the right things. They wouldn’t lean on the weather as a crutch, and yet there was an underlying

truth to their answers. “It was different at different points,” O’Korn said. “There was one point where it was a torrential downpour and it was tough to throw the football, but there’s no excuses. You’ve gotta do what you’re coached to do and you have to complete the passes that are called.” Added fullback Khalid Hill: “I mean, the gloves weren’t even helping. We had gloves that we can wear to help with the rain. Those were drenched by the time we was going on the field. The rain played a big part, but still … the mistakes that we made also played a big part.” That they did, and now Michigan would need to win out to concretely improve upon

The good, the bad and the ugly: Michigan State BETELHEM ASHAME Managing Sports Editor

It was a long night for the Michigan football team. Under the lights at Michigan Stadium for the first time in the history of the in-state rivalry, the now-17th-ranked Wolverines lost their illustrious unbeaten status in a 14-10 loss to Michigan State. Saturday night, Michigan dropped a game it should never have been in a position to lose to the unranked

Spartans — putting its College Football Playoff aspirations on life support in the process. As a torrential downpour engulfed Ann Arbor, the Wolverines couldn’t climb out of the hole they had dug themselves into during the first half. The Daily breaks down the good, the bad and the ugly from Saturday night’s game. The good On a night when almost everything went wrong, Michigan’s

EMMA RICHTER/Daily

Fifth-year senior running back Ty Isaac fumbled on Michigan’s second drive.

only redeemable quality was the performance of its stalwart defensive unit. As has been the case throughout the season, whenever the Wolverines have faltered, their defense has swooped in to save the day. But against Michigan State, there was simply too much overcome. The defense was spread thin all game, forced to spend a considerable amount of time on the field due to a number of mistakes on the offensive side of the ball. Though the defense gave up two touchdowns in the first half, it would shut the door in the second half, not conceding a single point after the break. The opening score could be chalked up to favorable field position. On Michigan’s second offensive drive, fifth-year senior running back Ty Isaac fumbled the ball, and the Spartans recovered it at the Wolverines’ 46-yard line. The second score came down to a fortunate 30-yard completion and a well-executed screen pass. Spartan wideout Darrell Stewart Jr. caught a deep ball that had been tipped by senior cornerback Brandon Watson, and Michigan

State quarterback Brian Lewerke caught Michigan’s defense completely off guard on a 16-yard trick play. The one noticeable shortcoming on the defensive side of the ball was that the Wolverines failed to record a sack after leading the nation in the category prior to the contest. The bad Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh summed it up after the game: “Too many turnovers.” As it turned out, Isaac’s fumble was only the beginning of the Wolverines’ troubles Saturday night. Michigan turned the ball over a total of five times against the Spartans, including another fumble and a whopping three interceptions. Worse yet, all three picks came in consecutive possessions in the second half. After the rain had begun to pour down, it would have been expected for Michigan to transition its game plan accordingly and rely more heavily on the run game. Suffice to say, that’s not what happened. The Wolverines tested fate by electing to keep throwing the ball, and then suffered the consequences. Fifth-year senior quarterback John O’Korn threw three straight interceptions. At that point, Michigan’s comeback attempt lost all of the steam it had gained from its touchdown drive halfway through the third quarter.

In a game that ultimately came down to a four-point differential, the Wolverines shot themselves in the foot one too many times to escape unscathed. The ugly There is a lot that could go in this category, but the overriding sentiment from this game is that, yet again, Michigan lost a rivalry game to Michigan State in front of a home crowd. With the wounds from 2015’s infamous fumbled punt still fresh in the minds of Wolverine fans, this game was supposed to be redemption. Despite the fact that the Spartans were unranked while Michigan was No. 7 — in contrast to when Michigan State was No. 7 and the Wolverines were ranked 12th — their respective rankings went out the window with the Paul Bunyan trophy on the line. Despite taking home a victory in East Lansing last season, Michigan’s win seemed to be overshadowed by the Spartans’ 2-5 record at the time. This year was the win the home crowd really wanted. That’s why the student section stuck it out through the storm as the rain drenched them from head to toe. They eagerly awaited a chance to ease the pain many of them had suffered in that same student section two years ago. The Wolverines delivered yet another disappointment instead.

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the last two years — a daunting task given that the Wolverines still need to travel to No. 7 Wisconsin and No. 3 Penn State before facing the ninthranked Buckeyes at home. Make no mistake, the Saturday night’s outcome is in no way grounds for a coaching change. It wasn’t long ago that Harbaugh resurrected a program that finished 5-7 before his arrival. But on the last play of the game, O’Korn took the snap on first-and-10 at Michigan State’s 37-yard line. He danced around the pocket and sent a prayer to the end zone in a game that the Wolverines had plenty of opportunities to win far earlier. As the ball hung in the air, those who stayed through a torrential downpour held a sliver of hope that this time, the Michigan football team would end up on the right side of a miracle at Michigan Stadium. Seconds later, they were left sorely disappointed. Donovan Peoples-Jones had a chance, but that was all it was. Three Spartans surrounded him in coverage, and the ball hit a mass of eight hands all clawing at the chance to put their team on the right side of a rivalry. The ball hit the turf. Those who stayed, well, they were left to watch as Michigan State rushed the field. They were left to watch as the Wolverines walked off it, heads bowed in disappointment. More than anything, though, they were left with this stark reality: Jim Harbaugh is now 1-4 against the Wolverines’ two biggest rivals, and he was outcoached Saturday night. Santo can be reached at kmsanto@umich.edu or on Twitter @Kevin_M_Santo.

GAME From Page 1A football, but there’s no excuses. You’ve gotta do what you’re coached to do and you have to complete the passes that are called.” But there was, at the very least, one too many mistakes. In the first quarter, the Wolverines were driving, threatening to score twice in as many drives to open the game. Fifth-year senior running back Ty Isaac was given the ball on first-and-10 near midfield. He failed to protect the ball, though, and Michigan State’s Joe Bachie forced a fumble that the Spartans recovered. Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke rushed for a 14-yard touchdown to cap off a 46-yard drive following the fumble recovery, and later found Madre London on a screen in the second quarter. The junior running back coasted to the corner of the end zone to take a 14-3 lead at Michigan Stadium. For a fleeting moment, it looked like Michigan would reclaim a grip on the game before the half concluded — the same one they had on the first offensive and defensive series of the game. O’Korn found sophomore tight end Sean McKeon for a 36-yard reception that would have put Michigan on the Spartans’ 27-yard line with 31 seconds to play. Instead, McKeon fumbled, and the Wolverines went into halftime trailing by 11. Michigan managed to reach the end zone with just over eight minutes left in the third quarter to cut Michigan State’s lead to four. But the rest of the game was the byproduct of carelessness, and the Wolverines didn’t score another point. Michigan turned the ball over too much, even for its defense to counteract. It adopted a nonsensical game plan, as rain poured down in sheets. Now, Paul Bunyan is going back to East Lansing, and the Wolverines have no one to blame but themselves.

SportsMonday

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

October 9, 2017 — 3B

Wolverines split weekend in upstate New York Michigan’s power play unit excelled Friday, leading to a win. But the next day, the unit sputtered. ANNA MARCUS Daily Sports Writer

The resourcefulness of Michigan hockey’s special teams Friday night earned it a victory in its season opener against St. Lawrence. Finding the net on two of five power plays, the Wolverines’ performance mimicked last season’s dynamic power-play offense that finished 17th nationally. But just a day later, that same offense looked starkly different. Inefficiency on the power play was the downfall of Michigan (1-1-0 overall) in its Saturday matchup with Clarkson. The Wolverines couldn’t convert on any of their eight special teams’ chances. The failure to do so was glaringly displayed in two of Michigan’s opportunities, which happened to be five-onthree advantages. “When you don’t score any goals, it’s hard to win a hockey game,” said Michigan coach Mel Pearson. “But it’s a process and it’s going to be a process with this team.” Despite outshooting the Golden Knights (2-0-0) 29-19, Michigan found itself in this exact offensive predicament. Falling to Clarkson in the Saturday nightcap halted the Wolverines’ chance for a weekend sweep, and resulted in Michigan splitting its opening weekend. “We’re going to have to continue working on our special teams, especially fiveon-threes,” Pearson said. “We haven’t had a lot of opportunities

to work on those, and I think you could see that tonight a little bit. But those are huge momentum swings in the game, and if we can score one on that, then we’re right back in.” While no puck found the back of the net Saturday, the Wolverines certainly didn’t make it an easy night for Golden Knight goaltender Jack Kielly. The sophomore netminder recorded 29 saves throughout regulation. Michigan brought an energized attack Friday as well, recording 27 shots against the Saints (0-2-0). The penalty kill — a focal point during practices this week — was another strong suit for the Wolverines on their New York road trip. Michigan prevented goals on all four of St. Lawrence’s power plays Friday, and went 5-for-6 on penalty kills against Clarkson. Preventing the opposition from scoring on power plays was just one asset of the Wolverines’ blue line this weekend. Michigan’s defense also held its opponents to relatively low shot counts. “We definitely made some improvement defensively,” Pearson said. “You know, to only give up 18 shots to a team like Clarkson … is a good sign for our defense. And our goaltenders might want a little more work, but we’re trying to limit the shots. “I thought it was a good defensive effort (Saturday night). A lot of blocked shots, a lot of guys sacrificing their body to make a difference.” As could be anticipated in an opening weekend, Michigan also had its fair share of firsts.

We definitely made some improvement defensively

RYAN MCLOUGHLIN/Daily

Fifth-year senior forward Alex Roos netted his first career goal for the Wolverines to lead them to a 3-1 victory over St. Lawrence on Friday night.

Pearson, who has officially begun his first season as head coach of the Michigan hockey team, kicked off his tenure with the win against St. Lawrence. Additionally, his first loss came Saturday against Clarkson, splitting his first weekend. Sophomore goaltender Jack LaFontaine earned his first win of the season in the opener, racking up 24 saves against the Saints on Friday night. Sophomore netminder Hayden Lavigne also saw his first official start this season Saturday against the Golden Knights, recording 16 stops on a 19-shot night. On the other end of the ice, freshman defenseman Quinn Hughes and graduate forward

Alex Roos netted their first goals for the Wolverines against St. Lawrence. Hughes notched his first collegiate goal on a power play early in the second period, while Roos scored Michigan’s third and final goal about midway through the third. The only opposing goal was scored by forward Alex Gilmour in the second period, but wasn’t enough to combat Michigan’s two-goal lead. Hughes and Roos, in combination with another

power-play goal from senior forward Tony Calderone, led the Wolverines to their eventual 3-1 triumph over the Saints. Saturday’s results differed from that of the St. Lawrence game and weren’t what Michigan had hoped for. Clarkson scored two goals in the first period, one of which was the result of a power play from a Roos hooking penalty. A third and final goal was scored for the Golden Knights in the second period by defenseman Terrance Amorosa

Some nights, it’s just going to go that way for you

to finalize the 3-0 score early in the game. However, a high shot output and resilient defense were positive assets in the Wolverines’ performance, regardless of the game’s outcome. And those efforts certainly didn’t go unnoticed. “We knew Clarkson was a good hockey team coming in here,” Pearson said. “You know, they’re ranked ahead of us … and it’s hard to be on the road. But I liked our stay with it, that’s one of the positives I can take out of this. We stayed with the game plan, we kept pushing, we kept working. We just didn’t get any puck luck (Saturday). And some nights, it’s just going to go that way for you.”

Michigan overpowers Rutgers in dominant win The Wolverines continue the strong start to their Big Ten campaign with their fourth conference victory AMIR ALI

For the Daily

Coming off a nail-biting win against Penn State last Sunday, the Michigan men’s soccer team had a more routine Friday night, overpowering a struggling Rutgers team, 3-1. Michigan (4-1-1 Big Ten, 7-3-2 overall) came out strong, creating opportunities early and often. Rutgers (0-6-0 Big Ten, 2-9-1 overall) 1 RUTGERS 3 MICHIGAN gave way to the Wolverines’ persistence, as the deadlock broke after just seven minutes. Junior midfielder Robbie Mertz dribbled into the box before sliding the ball to find junior midfielder Ivo Cerda for the tap-in finish. Michigan continued to push numbers forward and carve out scoring chances. Twelve minutes after Cerda scored, freshman forward Mohammed Zakyi played a perfect ball junior forward Francis Atuahene, who fired a shot back across the goalkeeper to extend the Wolverines’ lead to two. “It was good. It set the bar high, and gave the defenders a little bit of relief,” Atuahene said. “The earlier you score goals the more confidence you gain.” Added Michigan coach Chaka Daley: “Any time you score two goals early at home you want to ride the wave. We had a great crowd and the Ultras were here. We had to battle some minor elements, but they were here in full voice and it certainly pushes our team on when the Ultras are here.” Toward the end of the first half, momentum shifted in favor of the Scarlet Knights. Michigan looked a bit complacent and was sloppy in possession. A foul near midfield gave Rutgers a set piece, of which they took full advantage. Rutgers forward Ryan Peterson beat sophomore goalie Andrew

Verdi with a well-placed header off a cross from 40 yards out. Michigan went into the half up 2-1, outshooting Rutgers 12-6 in the first 45 minutes. But the Wolverines knew adjustments still had to be made in the second half to regain momentum. “It was a soft goal from our standards,” Daley said. “We talked about at halftime how we set the standard, not the opponent. If you don’t live up to it, it has to change.” The Wolverines certainly responded to their coach’s challenge. Rutgers had just three shots in the second half, and Michigan was able to tally another eight. The Wolverines pressed forward and both Zakyi and Atuahene had good chances, but it was the junior forward who put Michigan up by two just 11 minutes into the second half. Atuahene was the best player on the field for the entire game. He tallied seven shots, including three shots on goal, and two goals in attack. His speed on the wing caused Rutgers problems all night. “Both guys were really sharp. They started really lively,” Daley said. “They were deadly. They were effective, and they held the ball well.” Added Atuahene: “We have a game plan every 24 hours before the game. We all relax and try to stay away from any distractions on campus. We focus and come back to the field and try to execute our game plan.” Daley was pleased with the way his front three played all night, and he attributed that success to recovery from recent injury problems. “We’re healthy in the front.

All four guys were healthy,” Daley said. “I think those four guys on their day individually can carry the group, but collectively they’re certainly a handful. We were just too much tonight for Rutgers to handle.” Michigan improved upon its best Big Ten start since 2013, moving into second and only one point back from conferenceleader Maryland. And as the pieces continue to fall into place only one year after a disastrous season, the Wolverines can’t help but enjoy it. “It feels really good. It’s been awhile since we’ve been 4-1-1,” Atuahene said. “It’s good for the team, and it’s good for the fans. It’s exciting.”

It’s good for the team, and it’s good for the fans

BY THE NUMBERS Michigan vs. Rutgers

Goals scored by Francis Atuahene

Assists from Mohammed Zakyi

Amount of losses Rutgers now has in the Big Ten

Total shots for Michigan

ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily

Junior forward Francis Atuahene extended the Wolverines’ lead to two to give them breathing room against Rutgers.

SportsMonday

4B — October 9, 2017

Defense deserves better

t’s no secret at this point. Michigan’s defense is good enough to win a championship. Football, though, is a team game — as fifth-year senior linebacker Mike McCray alluded to after his team’s ORION 14-10 loss SANG to Michigan State. “(When the) offense (is) doing bad, we’re doing bad,” he said. “We can’t get frustrated with them; they can’t get frustrated with us.” It’s the type of answer you’d expect from McCray, the consummate teammate who was elected captain before the season. Deep down, though, you wonder if there is any frustration from him, or from any other member of the defense. And if there is — that’s easily understandable. In the second half — before an eight-play, 26-yard drive that took just enough time off the clock to make life even more difficult for the Wolverines on their final drive of the game — the Spartans had the ball seven times. The results of those seven possessions? Six three-and-outs and one four-and-out after they elected to go for it on fourth down. It was the definition of absolute dominance from Michigan’s defense — the type of outing that we’ve become accustomed to seeing with Don Brown calling the shots. And yet that Herculean performance wasn’t enough, because as absurdly good as Michigan’s defense was, the offense simply could not execute.

After the game, McCray said that coming out of halftime, his unit’s goal was to give the offense the ball as many times as possible. Here’s what the Wolverines did with those eight possessions: three-and-out, 33-yard touchdown drive, interception, interception, interception, punt, punt and a desperate 43-yard drive that ended with the ball harmlessly falling to the turf. It was a sight for sore eyes, and it was a sight that will haunt Jim Harbaugh and his offensive coaching staff for the rest of the week, perhaps for the rest of the season. This, after all, was an easily winnable game — and the Wolverines even had the blueprint for doing so. Coming out of halftime faced with a 14-3 deficit, Michigan began a war of field position. The defense kept the Spartans pinned deep, and when a Jake Hartbarger punt was returned to the Michigan State 33-yard line, the Wolverines pounced. After yet another three-andout forced by the defense, the offense looked poised to build

on its prior success. Michigan fed junior running back Karan Higdon four consecutive times, and he turned those carries into 23 yards and two first downs. And then the Wolverines tried to pass. They were called for holding. They called another pass, and O’Korn scrambled for eight yards. They called another pass — and O’Korn threw it to the other team. “When we got momentum going,” Harbaugh said, “we turned it over.” Michigan stuck with the pass stubbornly, like a puppy might do with an old chewed-out toy. It called for passes even amidst what O’Korn deemed a “torrential downpour,” which certainly didn’t make life any easier for him. And it got the same result nearly every time — a bad one. The Wolverines ran 13 pass plays in the second half before a desperate final drive where Michigan State played things safe and allowed easy completions underneath. On those 13 plays, O’Korn completed four passes. He was sacked and

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FOOTBALL

Offensive line fails ‘M’

forced to scramble once each. He threw three interceptions. O’Korn, as good of a teammate as any, didn’t give much away after the game. “I wasn’t upset with any of the calls at all,” he said. “I was just upset with myself.” But, like with the defense, any frustration would’ve been understandable. After all, he himself commented on the difficulty of throwing in the rain. There’s merit in debating whether the players simply have to execute, or whether they were put in a position to succeed Saturday night. There are now many more questions than answers facing this team after such a dispiriting loss. And yet, one thing was devastatingly clear: Michigan’s defense deserves better. “You can’t expect to win,” O’Korn said, “when you turn the ball over that many times.” Truer words have never been spoken. Sang can be reached at otsang@umich.edu or on Twitter @orion_sang.

EMMA RICHTER/Daily

Junior wide receiver Grant Perry was part of a Wolverine offense that let its defense down Saturday night.

TED JANES

Daily Sports Writer

Fifth-year senior quarterback John O’Korn scrambled from the pocket all game long — rolling left, rolling right and running up the middle. He gained 24 yards on the ground. The problem for the No. 7 Michigan football team (1-1 Big Ten, 4-1 overall) was that O’Korn was never supposed to rush. “None of them were designed runs,” O’Korn said of his many scrambles. “They were all pass plays. Guys weren’t open, (Michigan State) had good coverage or protection broke down.” The struggles appeared most on the offensive line, where Michigan couldn’t contain the Spartans’ pressure. The Wolverines lost the battle in the trenches, and duly lost the game, 14-10. Midway through the second quarter, Michigan State defensive end Kenny Willekes burst through the offensive line to sack O’Korn. Willekes had lined up to the left, matching up with redshirt sophomore right tackle Nolan Ulizio. Ulizio was beat, and O’Korn was taken down. After Ulizio’s struggles, the coaches subbed him out for redshirt junior Juwann BushellBeatty. The substitution wasn’t part of the original game plan, according to coach Jim Harbaugh, but the coaches felt that they had to make a change. However, nothing really changed. O’Korn was sacked again before halftime — Michigan State’s third sack of the second quarter. By the end of the game, the Spartans had sacked O’Korn four times for a total of 33 yards. Ulizio and Bushell-Beatty split the duties Saturday. Despite plenty of options at the position — redshirt sophomore Jon Runyan has also appeared there — few have seemed to work. “Those two guys — Juwann and

Nolan — they compete their butts off,” said senior left tackle Mason Cole. “They’ll continue to do that. Our coaches will put the best guys out there. Whether it be Nolan in the first half or Juwann in the second half, it doesn’t matter. “We trust Nolan out there. We trust Juwann out there. Doesn’t matter to us.” But it should matter. The right tackle position has been Michigan’s weakest link this season. The offensive line struggles go from left to right. Cole, a veteran and the offensive captain, lines up out left and is one of Michigan’s strongest players. Next to him at left guard is sophomore Ben Bredeson, another highly-touted lineman who molded well to the college game. At center is fifth-year senior Patrick Kugler, who came off the bench in the past few years, and finally earned a starting role. To the right of Kugler is sophomore Michael Onwenu, the Wolverines’ best option at right guard. And then comes right tackle. Nobody has proven themselves as the worthy starter. Cole and other teammates talked about how Ulizio and Bushell-Beatty keep competing — just as they did through spring training and fall camp. Yet after all this time, neither has separated from the pack, and it’s showing. O’Korn simply isn’t getting much time to pass. “Protection all this year has been a big focus for us,” Cole said. Cole and O’Korn stood by their teammates, but it’s clear that the position is contributing to the issues of an already dysfunctional offense. The offensive line broke against the Spartans, and it is hard to foresee an improvement when Michigan still has to play Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State. “Part of it is on me,” O’Korn said. “I’ve got to get us in the right protection.” A small part of it is on O’Korn. A bigger part of it is on the offensive line.

Five Things We Learned: Michigan State Wolverines plagued by inability to finish VOLLEYBALL

TED JANES

Daily Sports Writer

DYLAN CHUNG For the Daily

With the Michigan volleyball team (2-4 Big Ten, 12-6 overall) facing match point against No. 6 Minnesota, senior outside hitter Adeja Lambert tracked the ball, soaring into the air and connecting her hand to the ball with sheer force. Her spike f lew straight into the net. She looked down at the f loor in disappointment as the Golden Gophers’ cheers washed over the otherwise quiet Cliff Keen Arena. Suddenly, Michigan had lost its third set — and the match. Saturday afternoon, the Wolverines were swept by No. 6 Minnesota (4-2, 14-2), losing 25-21, 25-21, 25-20. It was their first home loss of the season. Despite the sweep, Michigan appeared to have victory in its clutches in all three sets. It held several large leads, including a 17-12 advantage in the first set and a seemingly insurmountable 16-8 lead in the second set. For large stretches, the Wolverines looked tremendous, dominating one of the best teams in the nation. But the Wolverines never capitalized on those leads. “We have to get better,” said coach Mark Rosen. “We don’t have to get monumentally better, but we’ve got to get better. Especially when it really matters — in the crunch points, at key times.” Toward the ends of sets, Michigan wilted while Minnesota f lourished.

In the first set, Minnesota won six of the last seven points. In the third set, the Golden Gophers scored the last five points. These two massive runs were both fueled by a combination of stif ling defense from Minnesota, who stuffed the Wolverines with 14 blocks, and what Rosen called a one-dimensional Michigan attack. “We’ve got to have more options and use more options,” Rosen said. “I thought we did that early on in sets but I think when it got late, we got a little more predictable.” There were moments, though, when the Wolverines did utilize their role players well, such as senior opposite hitter Katherine Mahlke. Mahlke’s left-handed strikes added a much-needed variety to the Michigan attack, temporarily confusing the Minnesota blockers. Midway through the second set, she pounded a kill down the middle of the court to halt a seven-point run for the Gophers. Mahlke had three kills on just four attempts, leading the Wolverines with an excellent attack percentage of 0.750. However, her performance was indicative of her entire team’s performance — good, but not good enough. Going forward, Rosen believes he can solve his team’s late-game issues. “Balance is gonna be really important for us moving forward,” he said. “That’s what’s gonna help us close games out.”

I think when it got late, we got a little more predictable.

Talk about a season killer. It’s hard to imagine No. 17 Michigan (1-1 Big Ten, 4-1 overall) competing for the Big Ten Championship — or the College Football Playoff — after No. 21 Michigan State came out victorious in the night game this weekend. The 14-10 loss revealed what many expected would happen at some point in the season: The Wolverines’ offensive struggles would catch up to them, and Michigan would dig itself a hole that was too big to crawl out of. Here are five things we learned from the Wolverines’ loss on Saturday. 1. Michigan can’t just rely on its defense Once again, Michigan’s defense — the top-ranked unit in the country in yards allowed per game with 213 — shut down its opponent in the second half. The Spartans didn’t tally a second-half first down until their final drive of the game. The Wolverines failed to get a sack for the first time this season, but tallied three quarterback hurries. Two sophomores, cornerback Lavert Hill and safety Josh Metellus, combined for four pass breakups and played a big part in holding Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke to just 98 passing yards. Michigan shut Lewerke down after halftime, but there was little the defense could do to help when the offense turned the ball over five times. 2. O’Korn’s performance against Purdue might not be representative Two hundred and seventy yards, a touchdown and a 69 percent completion rate? That’s what O’Korn threw for when he came off the sideline to replace an injured Wilton Speight two weeks ago against Purdue. Expecting him to perform that well every weekend, though, might not be fair. While Speight’s efforts were criticized left and right in the

beginning of the season, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh continued to back up his decision that Speight was the team’s best option at quarterback. When Speight went down, it was tough to imagine how the Wolverines would respond. Reasonably though, Michigan fans were less worried after O’Korn lit up the Boilermakers, hitting his receivers and tight ends the entire afternoon. But against the Spartans’ lockdown coverage, the fifth-year senior and transfer from Houston couldn’t produce like he had the week before. O’Korn completed just 38 percent of his passes and gave up three interceptions. O’Korn’s best throw of the game came on a 17-yard pass to junior receiver Grant Perry, who landed on Michigan State’s one-yard line. 3. The offensive line struggles are the source of the problem… Redshirt sophomore Nolan Ulizio got the start at right tackle. After he got beat on a secondquarter sack, redshirt junior Juwann Bushell-Beatty replaced him, but Bushell-Beatty was not any more effective.

The struggles at the position gave O’Korn little time to work in the pocket, as Michigan State’s pressing defense continued to break through the offensive line. O’Korn was sacked four times and only passed for 86 yards in the second half. If the offensive line can’t create gaps or protect the quarterback, there isn’t enough time for any components of the offense to get to work. 4. But the receivers are struggling too On the third-to-last play of the game, sophomore receiver Eddie McDoom dropped a wide open pass from O’Korn. Michigan would’ve been at the Spartans’ 31-yard line with 21 seconds left, but McDoom couldn’t reel in the catch. O’Korn connected with four receivers in the second half, throwing for just 86 yards after the break. Junior Grant Perry has stepped up as Michigan’s leading receiver since freshman Tarik Black’s season was cut short due to a foot injury. But other receivers like freshman Donovan Peoples-Jones and sophomore Kekoa Crawford

just haven’t made a big impact. The Wolverines needed big plays to swing momentum, but they never got any and couldn’t overcome their errors. 5. Not-so-bold Prediction: The Minnesota game probably won’t be at night The Nov. 4 game between Michigan and Minnesota is the only home game left on the Wolverines’ schedule that does not yet have an announced time for kick off. The game against Michigan State was held at night due to the national attention it would receive. It had all the dimensions to be an instant classic: the in-state rivalry, a highly-ranked team and the first time the Spartans came to Ann Arbor since the botched punt. A game against Minnesota won’t have any of those factors. And after this first loss, it’s tough to imagine the Wolverines beating No. 3 Penn State on the road in two weeks. If Michigan is 6-2 going into a matchup with the irrelevant Golden Gophers, a national television network will have no desire to air that game on primetime.

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Sophomore wide receiver Eddie McDoom struggled to bring in a crucial pass on Michigan’s final drive of the game.